The former stadium of a CHAMPIONSHIP club looks unrecognizable after being transformed into a rugby pitch with a capacity of just 2,000.

The Sheffield Olympic Legacy Stadium is the home of the Sheffield Eagles rugby league.

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It was built between 2021 and 2022 and opened two years ago following a £10 million construction project.

The arena seats 2,000 people and also hosts the American football team Sheffield Giants.

It was also the previous home of Sheffield United Women.

But it looked very different when Championship side Rotherham played there.

The Sheffield Olympic Legacy Stadium was built on the site of Don Valley Stadium, which closed in 2013 and was demolished a year later.

Opened in 1990, the £29 million arena was the second largest athletics stadium in the country, seating 25,000 spectators.

That number doubled for concerts and similar events.

But it also played host to Rotherham when the club was without a home for four years.

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Between 2008 and 2012, up to 10,000 fans were allowed in for each match before Rotherham moved into New York’s stadium – where they remain to this day.

However, Don Valley Stadium was closed by Sheffield City Council 11 years ago as part of a £50 million budget cut.

The site, which was previously renovated in 2008, was completely demolished.

But in 2014 it was announced that an Olympic Legacy Park would be built over the remains.

In addition to the new stadium, the site now also contains an indoor sports arena and various schools.

It now hosts the Sheffield Eagles, who had also played at Don Valley Stadium and were forced to share ground in Doncaster, Rotherham and Wakefield until the Legacy Stadium opens in 2022.

Captain Anthony Thackeray said ahead of the opening: “It has been a long time coming.

“It’s very important for the club, the fans and everyone involved.”

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MIKE ASHLEY is taking Newcastle United, the club he used to own, to the league regulator in a major, bitter row over football shirts.

Newcastle United recently switched its kit supplier from Castore to Adidas and, as part of the deal, has agreed exclusivity to only sell football shirts through the club’s store and arch-rivals JD Sports.

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The Sports Direct magnate has now filed a claim with the Competition Appeals Tribunal.

Sports Direct alleges in its claim that: “The club has abused its dominant position in the market for the wholesale supply of Newcastle United replica kits in the United Kingdom [in breach of competition law] by refusing to supply Sports Direct with the Club’s replica kit for the 2024/25 season and by granting JD Sports, another British sports retailer, exclusive rights as a third party seller of the Club’s replica kit’.

A source close to Ashley claimed that “football fans will ultimately suffer from higher prices”.

It is understood Sports Direct still sold 50,000 Newcastle United shirts despite outrage from Magpies fans over its ownership.

Ashley owned Newcastle between 2007 and 2021.

The 59-year-old became an unpopular figure in the Toon and was eventually sold to the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund.

The £300m deal saw the Saudi Public Investment Fund take 80 per cent of the shares, while billionaire Reuben brothers and financier Amanda Staveley each got 10 per cent.

Ashley made a profit of £195 million from the sale of the club, his Mash Holdings accounts show.

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Ashley previously blew the whistle on price fixing on football shirts in 2004, involving his arch-rivals Dave Whelan and JJB Sports.

Two years after Ashley left, Newcastle qualified for the Champions League for the first time in twenty years.

However, they dropped out of the competition in the group stage.

THREE clubs are ready to fight for Ivan Toney as the player plans an exit for Brentford.

A disastrous run of form has left the Bees just five points above the relegation zone.

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With Brentford perilously close to the bottom three, three sides are vying to get into pole position to land the striker this summer.

SunSport understands that Tottenham, Chelsea and West Ham have all expressed interest in signing the 28-year-old.

It comes after Arsenal, who were previously linked with Toney, cooled their interest.

As for Chelsea, the West Londoners know they have to sell before they can buy or risk breaking profit and sustainability rules.

Our source said: “If Brentford drop out of the Premier League, which now seems a real possibility, there will be a race to sign Ivan Toney.

“That’s why some clubs are already taking steps to try to get into pole position and sign the player.”

“It is understood that Chelsea and Spurs both need a number nine and Toney would suit both clubs, but West Ham are now also interested.

“The club believes Toney can be a real statement signer and take the team to the next level.

“West Ham are crying out for a striker who can help turn a good side into one that can really challenge for the Champions League.

“Arsenal are less interested now. Mikel Arteta has a system and a way of playing and he doesn’t think a conventional number nine like Ivan Toney is what they need.”

SunSport can also reveal that Toney is ‘open-minded’ about remaining in the capital after making it clear to his advisers that he does not want to leave the Premier League.

Our source added: “Clubs in Italy and Spain have been following Toney for ages. He is one of the most sought after players in Europe.

“But Ivan is not really interested in moving abroad. He sees his future in the Premier League.

“His priority is to score the goals that save Brentford and cement his way into the England squad.

“But after that there is a general acceptance that he will move on and start at a new club in the Premier League next season.

“It will be a new start and, at the age of 28, the biggest step of his career.”

PREM giants face fines of more than £50m if they fail to get in touch with the government’s new independent football regulator.

The long-awaited measure will be introduced in the House of Commons on Tuesday and is expected to receive cross-party support.

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Under its powers, the regulator will be able to impose a funding deal between the Prem and the EFL after the process stalled again last week, stop and eliminate rogue owners and prevent clubs from joining a breakaway from the Super League.

But the regulator will also have “the ability to fine clubs up to 10 percent of their turnover for non-compliance”

Meaning potential ENORMOUS fines, with the Big Six racking up more than £500m every year.

Tory MPs said the regulator would prevent repeats of the financial chaos that overtook Bury, Derby, Wigan, Bolton and non-league Rhyl in recent seasons.

Mid-Derbyshire MP Pauline Latham said: “The Regulator is a new dawn for fans of the beautiful game.

“I’m so proud that we were able to save Derby County, but many other clubs are not so lucky.

“And I don’t want other fans to have to face what we did.

“The government has listened and is taking strong action to give football fans a voice.”

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In a brief response, Prem leaders said they agree that it is “critical that football clubs are sustainable, remain at the heart of their communities and that fans are fundamental to the game”.

However, the Prem warned of the “unintended consequences of legislation that could weaken the competitiveness and appeal of English football”.

In contrast, EFL chief executive Rick Parry hailed an “important milestone to help us secure the long-term financial sustainability” of the pyramid.

Parry added: “If implemented on the right terms, this landmark legislation could help fix the game’s broken financial model and ensure all clubs can survive and thrive in a fair and competitive environment.”

Rachel Stevens has revealed S Club 7’s plans to mark the one-year anniversary of the death of their bandmate Paul Cattermole.

The star was found dead on April 6 – just two months after he and the band announced they would be going on a reunion tour this fall.

Rachel Stevens has now revealed that she and her S Club 7 bandmates will be ‘raising a glass’ in Paul’s honor to mark this sad occasion. The sun on Sunday that touring with the group was “redemptive” after Paul’s death.

She told the publication: “I can’t believe it’s a year away, but we will absolutely raise a glass.”

She added: “We celebrate him all the time and that’s another thing that’s so special about getting back together.

“Paul was so excited about this tour, and it has become a tribute and celebration of him.

“It was very emotional, but it’s a very cathartic way to share him and his memories.”

Hannah, Paul, Rachel, Tina Barrett, 47, Jon Lee, 41, Bradley McIntosh, 42, and Jo O’Meara, 44, formed S Club 7 in 1998 and had a string of big hits between 1999 and 2003.

They had four number one singles, including Don’t Stop Movin’ and Never Had A Dream Come True.

Paul died suddenly of natural causes, before it was later revealed that he had died due to heart problems. There was no investigation into his death.

His body was discovered in his ground floor flat in Wareham, Dorset, devastating his bandmates and fans.

Paul, who made a living as a tarot card reader after leaving the group in 2002, was said to have been in ‘good spirits’ when he was seen days earlier in a park near his home.

A spokeswoman for the Dorset Coroner’s Office said: ‘We confirm that Mr Cattermole died of natural causes and our investigation has concluded. As his death was from natural causes, there will be no inquest.”

His ex-girlfriend and fellow S Club 7 star Hannah Spearritt is said to be ‘in pieces’ after being told the news.

After his death, the band was renamed S Club when Hannah withdrew from the tour a month later.

His family and S Club released a joint statement announcing his sad passing.

They said: ‘It is with great sadness that we announce the unexpected passing of our beloved son and brother Paul Cattermole.

‘Paul was found at his home in Dorset yesterday, April 6, 2023, and was pronounced dead later that afternoon.

‘Although the cause of death is currently unknown, Dorset Police have confirmed there were no suspicious circumstances.

“Paul’s family, friends and fellow S Club members are requesting privacy at this time.”

The band paid tribute to Paul on social media at the time.

They wrote alongside a black and white photo of him in the band’s heyday: ‘We are truly devastated by the passing of our brother Paul. There are no words to describe the deep sadness and loss we all feel. We were so lucky to have him in our lives and are grateful for the wonderful memories we have.

“He will be greatly missed by all of us.”

After quitting S Club 7 in 2002, Paul made a living as a tarot card reader after falling on hard times.

He reinvented himself as a ‘spiritual psychic detective’ and made money by charging £39.99 for reading on a spiritual website.

In 2021, Paul launched a YouTube channel called Tarot Me This, where he called on fans to make a donation in exchange for a reading, explaining that ‘clairvoyance’ was his new field.

He later revealed that he hid his psychic abilities from the rest of S Club 7 because he feared it would make him sound “crazy.”

The singer previously explained how he goes into rooms and reads the “energy in them,” adding that the older he gets, the better he can “process” what’s going on.

After leaving his pop career behind, Paul spent a decade honing his skills to build his career, but he told how his abilities first surfaced in his teens, before becoming ‘more intense’ when he was in his twenties.

And to deal with his finances, he was forced to sell his Brit Award for Best Newcomer, won in 2002, for a staggering £66,100 after posting it on eBay.

In 2018, Paul left Loose Women viewers in tears as he discussed his life living on the breadline, revealing he lived on noodles and couldn’t afford a new shirt for his television appearance at the time.

Since his bankruptcy in 2015, he has fallen on hard times and is struggling with money problems.

NEWCASTLE legend Lee Clark has revealed his ‘ultimate dream’ would be to see his son Bobby Clark play for the North East club.

19-year-old midfielder Bobby, who was part of the Magpies’ youth team until 2021, made his Liverpool debut in 2022 but has only become a regular in recent months.

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Most notably, he was one of the Reds’ academy players who came off the bench in their Carabao Cup win over Chelsea at Wembley last month.

And while his father, Lee, is thrilled with his son’s success, he admits he would love to see his son move to St James’ Park.

Speaking about the Not a Tippy Tappy Football podcasthe said: “Absolutely [he would like Bobby to play for Newcastle]. I don’t know how many fathers and sons have done it for the club.

“I was lucky enough to do it 265 times. Who knows, he might have to do an Alan Shearer and come back.

“But yes, that would be my ultimate dream. Absolutely.”

Lee, 51, who played in the same position as his son, was born and raised in the North East before making 265 appearances for Newcastle between 1990 and 2006.

He won the First Division in 1993 and was part of Kevin Keegan’s famous side called “The Entertainers”.

Lee eventually left for rivals Sunderland in 1997, but after a spell at Fulham he returned to Newcastle in 2005 for another season with the club.

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Meanwhile, teenage star Bobby made Liverpool history earlier this week by scoring his first goal for the club in a 6-1 Europa League win over Sparta Prague.

The goal, which came in the second leg of a last-16 tie which Klopp’s men won 11-2, makes him the youngest Liverpool player to score in European competition.

He broke Trent Alexander-Arnold’s record in 2017.

And Bobby could be used regularly towards the end of the season as Klopp’s side are plagued by injuries.

Midfielders Thiago Alcantara and Curtis Jones are both currently unavailable, while Alexander-Arnold is also sidelined.

Bobby suffered a blow during the win over Sparta Prague but Klopp has revealed it is not serious.

Ahead of Liverpool’s FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester United, the Liverpool manager said: “Bobby was feeling much better.

“That was uncomfortable, he got a blow there, a little swelling and that’s why [we had] feeling like it might be something more serious, but it’s not, so he’s doing well.”

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JOSE MOURINHO is reportedly set for a stunning return to management.

This follows Italian reports linking him with a move to Fenerbache.

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Mourinho has been without a job since January when he was fired as coach of AS Roma.

According to Calcio MercatoFenerbache hopes that the presence of former Serie A stars Edin Dzeko and Leonardo Bonucci in their squad will help convince the coach to come to Turkey.

The move would also bring him into contact with Fred, whom he managed as coach of Manchester United.

Speaking at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix this month, Mourinho said he was ready to return to work but was wary of making the “wrong decision”.

There are calls for a return to the Premier League, with Mou linked with jobs at Newcastle, Manchester United and Chelsea.

He also said he has rejected interest from Saudi clubs despite offers of lucrative contracts.

Fenerbache has been impressive this season and is locked in a title race with fierce rivals Galatasaray from Istanbul.

They are currently two points behind the leaders with the competition likely to go down to the wire.

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Calcio Mercato reports that the Turkish club will be ruthless if they lose the title this season.

And they see Mourinho as the final piece in the puzzle to get them over the line.

However, whether Mourinho sees the Turkish league as glamorous enough to succeed in it remains to be seen.

It would take a huge offer to convince Mourinho to join Istanbul – and any offer of a handsome salary could easily be passed over by Saudi Arabia.

FANS were left saying “Chelsea are the problem” after SIX Blues flops scored for their new clubs this weekend.

Stamford Bridge has become a shadow of its former self since Todd Boehly replaced Roman Abramovich in 2022.

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Chelsea saw four different coaches take control of the touchline last season and finished 12th^e in the Eredivisie.

And despite looking a little more consistent under Mauricio Pochettino, they are still 11^e this term.

One of Chelsea’s biggest problems under the Argentine is the number of chances they fail to convert.

Players like Nicolas Jackson, Raheem Sterling and Mykhailo Mudryk have missed several sitters this season.

Indeed, it has been a problem in West London for years, with Chelsea cycling through a host of attackers to solve their endless pain.

But fans think there is something in the water at the Bridge as a whopping SIX ex-Blues reached their target this weekend.

One said: “Chelsea is the problem.”

Another stated: “It’s a Chelsea thing.”

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One added: “Once upon a time we were together in 13^e.”

The biggest impact came from Kai Havertz, who left Chelsea for Arsenal last summer on a £65m contract.

He scored a timely late winner against Brentford in the 86^e minute on Saturday – his eighth goal of the domestic campaign.

But there was another goal for one of Chelsea’s biggest rivals, with Timo Werner scoring in Tottenham’s 4-0 win over Aston Villa.

He is on loan from RB Leipzig until the summer and now has two goals under Ange Postecoglou.

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Heading abroad, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made 11 for Marseille after scoring twice in a 2-0 win over Nantes.

Christian Pulisic scored his eighth goal for AC Milan when he scored in the 1-0 win against Empoli.

And Michy Batshuayi now has seven goals for Fenerbahce after conceding a late penalty in the 4-1 win over Pendikspor.

There was even a goal for David Datro Fofana, who is still a Chelsea player but has not yet scored in three games.

He is on loan at Burnley and scored his third goal in seven games as Vincent Kompany’s side drew 2-2 at West Ham.

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Few dreams start bigger than three brothers joining Chelsea.

And few stories in the twelve years since have better showcased the highs, lows and fine margins in top-level sport.

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Twins Rio and Cole Dasilva, then 12, plus 13-year-old Jay, left then National League team Luton Town for Stamford Bridge amid a £1million triple deal in 2012.

The Hatters are now very much back in the top flight, while the three siblings have gone in all kinds of directions.

Twelve years ago, Jay was compared to the Manchester City legend David Silva – wanted praise for someone so young.

How have they fared after leaving Kenilworth Road in what Luton called a ‘unique’ treble transfer?

Unfortunately, all three failed to break into Chelsea’s first team.

That’s despite Jay helping the Blues win the FA Youth Cup three times and the UEFA Youth League twice.

The year below saw Rio and Cole play alongside current England stars Declan Rice and Mason Mount.

But of the three brothers, it is Jay who has remained on top of the tree.

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He joined Bristol City in 2017 via loan spells at the Robins and Charlton.

And in many eyes he has become one of the best left-backs in the Championship.

It remained that way even after he opted to move to Coventry for four years last summer.

Meanwhile, younger bruv told Rio football.london that joining Chelsea was a “huge step”, taking ages to “feel comfortable” in such an “incredible” situation.

When he was later released, he went ‘mental’ but returned to play football part-time, switching from striker to right midfielder.

After spells at Dunstable, Hitchin and Bedford, he signed for struggling eighth-tier Kempston Rovers this season.

Rovers are bottom of the Southern League Division One Central.

As for Cole, his prospects looked promising as he earned silverware for Chelsea in the Under-18 Premier League, FA Youth Cup and UEFA Youth League.

But he was also released and moved to Brentford in 2021 and then to the Croatians HNK Sibenik.

But like Rio, he has mainly played for non-League clubs in the South Midlands region, most notably Oxford City and Hemel Hempstead in the sixth tier.

The defender also played for Royston Town and Biggleswade Town before arriving this week at Bedford Town, who are second in his brother’s division.

Rio and Cole have already met on the field twice this season – a twin situation with a twist after an eventful decade for all three brothers.

S Club’s Rachel Stevens and Jo O’Meara paid tribute to their late bandmate Paul Cattermole with throwback photos on Thursday.

Paul died suddenly of natural causes at the age of 46 on April 6 last year – just two months after he and the band announced they would be going on a reunion tour.

In heartfelt updates, they celebrated his ‘heavenly birthday’ by sharing a series of throwback photos.

Rachel wrote: “Happy Heavenly Birthday dear Paul, thinking of you today. You will always live on in our hearts, music and in our memories.’

Jo added: ‘Thinking of you today Paul on your 47th birthday, always in our hearts and forever loved.’

The band also celebrated Paul’s birthday by releasing a special version of Good Times.

The pop group – Rachel, Jo, Bradley McIntosh, Jon Lee and Tina Barrett – shared an update on their official Instagram, honoring the singer with the song and hoping they had ‘made him proud’.

They wrote: ‘Happy birthday, our dearest Paul. In your honor, today we released a very special version of Good Times (sung by Brad & Jon on the North American leg of The Good Times Tour) on streaming platforms.

‘This song will always be yours, but we hope we have made you proud. Thanks for all the good times. Deepest love, your S Club family x’

Good Times was included on their third studio album, Sunshine, originally released in 2001.

Paul would sing lead vocals on the song during their recent reunion tour before his death.

He died suddenly of natural causes at the age of 46 was found dead on April 6 this year – just two months after he and the band announced they would be going on a reunion tour.

His body was discovered in his ground floor flat in Wareham, Dorset, devastating his bandmates and fans.

Paul, who made a living as a tarot card reader after quitting S Club 7 in 2002, was said to have been in ‘good spirits’ when he was spotted in a park close to his home just days earlier.

His ex-girlfriend and fellow S Club 7 star Hannah Spearritt is said to be ‘in pieces’ after being told the news.

After his death, the band was renamed S Club and promised to continue with the reunion tour.

Hannah, 42, pulled out of the tour and has since admitted she doesn’t know if she will ever sing with S Club again.

She talked about how “everything” changed for her after Paul’s death and gave her time to think about whether it was the right decision to rejoin the band.

Hanna said The sun: ‘Will I ever perform with them again? I just don’t know, I’m glad the tour is still going and the songs are living on, but now I’m looking forward, not back.”

She explained that after Paul’s death, she realized she couldn’t go to S Club for the tour anymore, admitting that “it just didn’t feel right.”

Hannah apologized to S Club fans for not deciding to leave, but said she had to do what was best for herself and her family.

S Club paid tribute to Paul as they kicked off their Good Times Tour in Manchester in October.

Nostalgic footage of him performing his favorite song The Good Times left the audience silent as they became overwhelmed with emotion.

As he ran back onto the stage after the tribute, a breathless Jon, 41, shouted: “Manchester, let me hear you raise the roof for Paul one last time!”

As the group walked down the stairs, Bradley, 42, said, his voice shaking, “Wow, that’s our brother right there, man.

‘Gone but you will never be forgotten. We miss you every day.’

Each member took a moment to dedicate the show to Paul.

Jo, 44, said: ‘Thank you so much. All the messages, love and support that you have all shown to us and Paul’s family, we are so grateful to you all.

“I would love to see you all here now to show us your hearts for our Paul!”

Jon said, “Thank you very much. It is of course very special for us tonight. we dedicate this performance to Paul and The British Heart Foundation.’

In further tribute to Paul, S Club performed the song they wrote in memory of the star: These Are The Days.

Tina introduced the song by saying, “For 20 years people have been asking me, when are you going to release new music? So this year we thought, let’s do it.’

Bradley added, “And we did that. We dedicated this song to Paul and all the memories we shared.”